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I remember thinking when MERP production was shuttered that ICE seemed way off the reservation with their early era sourcebooks based on my understanding of the licensing at the time and that might be why it all imploded. I don't know if this is what happened but I've always thought it might be a factor.

When it all "imploded" was about the time they were starting work on the films, and they wanted new / more profitable contracts for gaming products.

I'm a bit deflated now. I was hoping by now there would be some way of getting MERP onto FG to complement the RMC ruleset (MERP existed some 20-35 years ago and was dumped). Cubicle7 managed to get licenses for The One Ring - I noticed that they also have 'Sophisticated Games' as a licensee on their books, but not sure exactly what their role is.

Sophisticated Games is the licensee and creator of The One Ring. Cubicle 7 are the publisher in the UK.

When it all "imploded" was about the time they were starting work on the films, and they wanted new / more profitable contracts for gaming products.

ICE had a near bankruptcy in 1993, then their distribution network collapsed. Additionally, the price of paper practically doubled overnight. This is why there was never a Southern Gondor module for 2E (it ended up being split in two, People and Land, and is why they split the Arnor module up).

When ICE filed for bankruptcy (chapter 11) in 1999, that allowed Tolkien Enterprises (later Middle Earth Enterprises) to pull the license, if this bankrupcy had not happened (and the chapter 7 in 2001) ICE may have been able hold onto the license, the terms that ICE had very very good (ICE basically got the license because no one else had asked for it previously).

ICE of course made other mistakes. See the links below if you are interested in the history of ICE.